1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
warns that the emergence of new viruses is one of the most menacing developments we face
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
fears that the unemployment rate may be reaching menacing proportions
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in endangering
to place in danger
menaced the children by leaving them in the car unattended
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in threatening
to remain poised to inflict harm, danger, or distress on
stockpiles of nuclear weapons that continue to menace the inhabitants of this planet
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of menacing
Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
Even Savage’s jokes about menacing opps riding mass transit tacitly acknowledge risk.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
As the two catch up, Crudup veers from good-natured to sorrowful to bitter to menacing in a matter of minutes.
—Jenelle Riley, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menacing
Adjective
Advertisement Here, Rob reveals his true menacing nature, and convinces Frankie that Betsy's falling is his fault.
—Verb
The Chinese, too, are absolutely shocked that a great power is menacing a small neighbor and inflicting regime change by military force.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for menacing
Adjective
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Episodes are bound together by banal introductory voiceover, in which our narrator recites ominous clichés that, like everything in His & Hers, border on parody.—
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More ominous still is the thought of the FanDuel mentality extending into other areas of American life.—
Adjective
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Pipes and sewers can be very dangerous for pets and wildlife and Roto-Rooter, with specialized equipment and personnel, has become a go-to call to save cats, dogs, turtles and more.—
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Ole Miss has enough dangerous weapons in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and wide receivers Harrison Wallace III, De’Zhaun Stribling and Deuce Alexander to make a tired defense pay.—
Verb
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In addition to the murder charge, Thompson faces charges of committing a terroristic act, aggravated assault, engaging in violent criminal group activity and endangering the welfare of a minor, according to the jail roster.—
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Some of them could cause severe damage to space stations and satellites, endangering the global space economy floating above us, which is currently valued at more than $600 billion.—
Verb
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Then, in April 2020, with schools closed and safety net programs ramping up, Feeding Our Future sent a draft lawsuit to the Minnesota Department of Education, threatening to sue if the state did not approve its applications for meal programs.—
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Nearly 16,000 nurses are threatening to walk off their jobs on Monday morning, according to the New York State Nursing Association (NYSNA), the union representing the nurses.—
Adjective
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Smallwood, less innately sinister as a performer, turns the part into a slow burn.—
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If Park’s film begins as another lament for our layoff-laden modern world, the South Korean director soon introduces a sinister twist.—
Adjective
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Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous surf and NEVER turn your back on the ocean.—
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Forecasters warn of hazardous travel conditions from icy roads and low visibility.—
Adjective
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The clock gives humanity just 89 seconds to reverse course, its most perilous setting ever.—
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That on its own is a perilous position.—
Adjective
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The system focuses on physical interception rather than electronic warfare, addressing scenarios where jamming proves ineffective or risky.—
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Directed by Steven Lisberger, the movie leans hard into CGI at a time when that was still considered risky and experimental.—
Cite this Entry
“Menacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menacing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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